1. Field of the Industrial Application
This invention relates to a press-connecting joint connector having a press-connecting blade for press-connecting electrical wires to each other.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7 shows a press-connecting joint connector 1 which has been disclosed in Japanese Utility Patent Application (OPI) No. 77564/1986 (the term "OPI" as used herein means an "unexamined publication application"). The joint connector 1 comprises: a connector body 7 having wire receiving grooves 3 and 5; press-connecting blades 9 and 11 provided respectively in the wire receiving grooves 3 and 5; and a cover 13 adapted to cover the upper opening 21 of the connector body 7. The cover 13 includes locking arms 17 having engaging holes 15, while the connector body 7 includes engaging protrusions 19 which are engaged in the engaging holes of the locking arms 17. When the upper opening 21 of the connector body 7 is closed with the cover 13, the engaging protrusions 19 are engaged in the engaging holes 15, so that the cover 13 is fixedly secured to the connector body 7. The cover 13 has wire pressing portions 23 on its inner surface which extend longitudinally. Hence, when the upper opening 21 of the connector body 7 is closed with the cover 13, electrical wires W1 and W2 laid in the wire receiving grooves 3 and 5 are pressed into the wire press-in grooves 9a and 11a of the press-connecting blades 9 and 11.
The electrical wires W1 and W2 are connected as follows. First the wires W1 and W2 are placed in the wire receiving grooves 3 and 5, and then the upper opening 21 of the connector body 7 is closed with the cover 13. As a result, the wires W1 and W2 are pressed into the wire press-in grooves 9a and 11a by the wire pressing portions 23 of the cover 13. Thus, the wires W1 and W2, being pressed, are connected to each other.
The wire W1 is a main wire, and the wire W2 is a branch wire which is connected to the main wire W1. As shown in FIG. 8, the wire W1 has one end portion 25 which is protruded from the joint connector 1 (hereinafter referred to as "a waste end portion 25", when applicable). The length of the waste end portion 25 is variable depending on how the worker sets the wire W1 in the wire receiving groove 3 of the connector 1. Hence, as shown in FIG. 9, the waste end portion 25 is fixedly set on the wire harness 27 being wrapped with an insulating tape 29, which prevents the end of the Wire W1 from being shorted to the vehicle body.
In the case where electrical wires are connected to each other with the press-connecting joint connector 1, the waste end portion of the wire protruded from the connector 1 must be fixedly held on the wire harness 27 with the insulating tape 29. This means that the connection of the electrical wires requires a relatively large number of working steps; that is, it takes time and labor.
In addition, the tape 29 must be wound on the wire harness 27 so that the conductor of the waste end portion of the wire is not exposed. Hence, the tape winding is rather troublesome, and must be performed with care.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a press-connecting joint connector with which electrical wires can be readily connected to each other, and a method of press-connecting the electrical wires to the connector.